Director Engineering
Posted Date: Dec 19, 2024
Location: Lexington, KY, US, 40502
Company: American Water Works Company Inc
Requisition ID: 107309
Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.
People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.
We are Beautifully Different. We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.
About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people across 14 regulated jurisdictions and 18 military installations. American Water’s 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.
As one of the fastest growing utilities in the U.S., American Water expects to invest $40 to $42 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions over the next 10 years. The company has a long-standing history of executing its core operations, aligned with sustainable best practices, through its commitments to safety, affordability, customer service, protecting the environment, an inclusive workforce and strengthening communities.
American Water has been recognized on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year, ranked 18th on Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies 2023 List, earned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense® Excellence Award, among additional state, local and national recognitions.
For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Primary Role
This position leads a staff of engineering and technical professionals that are accountable and responsible for three primary functions:
- Determining the adequacy of our water and wastewater treatment systems from a capacity, reliability, water quality / compliance, and efficiency perspective; and implementing engineering planning / project delivery to manage risks and opportunities.
- Developing and implementing a comprehensive capital investment program to address risk and improve the resilience and efficiency of our critical assets.
- Providing engineering resources and expertise to other functional groups within the state operating company to support growth and the core mission of providing safe, reliable, and affordable services to our customers.
- Accountable for the delivery and governance of $50-$250 million per year state operating company capital program.
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Key Accountabilities
- Direct engineering planning and project delivery to scope, budget, and prioritize capital improvements to enhance service, reliability and resiliency of our water/ wastewater systems.
- Direct engineering design and construction activities in conformance with sound technical and engineering management principles.
- Ensure that rigorous and robust processes are in place for asset planning and capital program delivery, management, and governance in order to meet the capital business plan; drive capital efficiency while balancing financial and operational risks.
- Manage and develop a strong engineering team that engages with and provides support to the operations and other functional teams as needed.
- Develop and participate in projects which reduce costs and improve the level of service provided, and proactively explore, evaluate and implement the integration of new technology and/or methods in order to enhance utility operations.
- Prepare testimony and represent the Company in rate filings, regulatory hearings / negotiations, and community and industry events and forums.
- Direct engineering resources to support the expansion of Company operations through acquisitions and management contracts.
- Direct successful management of developer funded projects.
- May represent the Company before regulatory and environmental agencies and is responsible for providing professional testimony.
- Analysis and Problem Solving - Analyzes and resolves business issues through the application of critical reasoning skills and general business experience.
- Drives Performance - Sets clear, challenging, collaborative goals and expectations for people that are aligned with business objectives. Track and measure progress, prove feedback and make adjustments as necessary.
- Delivers Results - Delivers bottom line results through bold, decisive actions, working through risks and uncertainty to create opportunity. Continually raises standards and promotes entrepreneurial behavior.
- People Development - Creates opportunities and builds shared commitment in order to develop capabilities and improve business performance through individual and team development.
- Sharing Knowledge & Expertise - Drives business performance by developing and contributing specific technical or professional knowledge, skills and experience. Demonstrates a professional attitude.
- Teamworking - Is committed to working collaboratively to achieve business goals, building cohesiveness and identity with a work group, and valuing individual perspectives and contributions.
Knowledge/Skills
- A thorough understanding of water and wastewater operations, planning, design, construction and project management.
- Working knowledge of regulatory requirements
- Detail oriented to conduct thorough analysis and evaluations, render and implement timely decisions and recommendations.
- Strong leadership and Strategic Planning skills
- Project and Program Management skills, Quantitative skills (analytical, technical, problem solving)
- Effective people management (planning, organizing, recruiting, supervising and leading individual staff and teams)
- Strong written and verbal communications (fluency in report writing and presentations)
- Interpersonal Skills (persuasion, negotiation, listening, cooperation, tact, diplomacy, problem solving, internal consulting)
- Leadership presence - ability to deal effectively and maintain cooperative and collaborative working relationships with senior management and other key stakeholders).
Experience/Education
- Bachelor’s degree in related field of Engineering.
- Advanced management or technical degree preferred.
- 15 + years overall experience in utility engineering and/or utility operations.
- 5 + years direct supervision of professional engineering staff
- Professional Engineering (PE) license required
Travel Requirements
- 20% travel to support business requirements as necessary.
Work Environment
- 80 % Office
- 20% Travel
Competencies
Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™
American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.
Nearest Major Market: Lexington